Flight Safety Information May 16, 2013 - No. 099 In This Issue Nepal Plane Crash Injures 21, Including 8 Japanese Texting While Flying: Help for Pilots iPhone Sends Plane Far Off Course: Flight Attendants Are Right! Gulf Air Renews its Commitment to Safety with the Successful Completion of IOSA Audit GE, Boeing Hunt for Defective Engine Parts Annual SMS Audit Results Released Nepal Plane Crash Injures 21, Including 8 Japanese KATMANDU, Nepal May 16, 2013 (AP) - A plane crashed while trying to land at a mountain airstrip in northern Nepal early Thursday, and all 21 people on board, including eight Japanese tourists, survived with injuries, police said. Four of the injured were in critical condition, police officer Bhim Bahadur Chand said. The state-owned Nepal Airlines plane was carrying eight Japanese tourists. The others on board, including three crew members, are all Nepali. The Canadian-built Twin Otter plane was trying to land at Jomsom airport, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Katmandu, when it crashed on the banks of the Kaligandaki river. All of the injured were flown in different planes to the nearby city of Pokhara, where there are better-equipped hospitals. Police said the wheel of the plane touched the runway but that the aircraft veered toward the right and crashed on the banks of the Kaligandaki. The front portion of the plane was destroyed, but the rear part remained intact. The left wing remained submerged in the river. Rescuers were able to pull the injured passengers and crew from the plane. Civil aviation officials identified the Japanese passengers as Namba Hajime, Sato Setsuko, Terada Etsuko, Kawabe Sachiyo, Yazawa Yaeko, Yazawa Hiromi, Kawakami Hiroko and Abe Akiko. Other details about the Japanese passengers were not immediately known. The area is popular with foreign trekkers visiting the Mount Annapurna area and Hindu pilgrims visiting the revered Muktinath temple. Fifteen people were killed last May when a plane crashed while attempting to land at the same airport. Back to Top Texting While Flying: Help for Pilots Montreal Pilots and air-traffic controllers texting each other? OMG! Your airline flight is finally starting to communicate the way the rest of the world does. Caroline Heroux sits at the air controller workstation in Montreal, with a view of her exchange with a Delta Air Lines flight in a dialogue box. . Controllers and pilots aren't using their cellphones to text, even though many passengers now do using apps and in-flight Wi-Fi. Instead, planes with modern cockpit systems can log on to new systems at air-traffic control centers and link digitally. Rather than sometimes difficult radio calls, pilots and controllers simply send each other text messages to change altitudes, routes and hand off from one controller to the next. The system has been in use for flights across oceans for several years. Canada now has it active across its domestic skies and European controllers have it in use in two large regions. But the U.S. is way behind. By texting instead of talking, controllers have more time to process requests for airlines. Pilots sometimes request shortcuts or more-preferential routes based on wind shifts. And as planes burn fuel and lighten, pilots often want to climb to higher altitudes for smoother rides, faster speed and better fuel burn. Sometimes those requests don't get made or get put off or denied simply because controllers don't have time to coordinate new altitude and route assignments with other controllers along a plane's flight path. The chatter on radio frequencies can get intense. If texting while flying sounds scary, relax. This isn't like texting while driving, because planes have two pilots-one flies, one communicates. And flying an airplane is all about working dials and reading instruments. Air-traffic controllers say the best benefit is safety-miscommunication is the biggest source of air-traffic control errors. Over long-distance radio transmissions, numbers and instructions can easily be misheard. Sometimes pilots are preoccupied and miss radio calls for their flight. Sometimes instructions get read back inaccurately and must be repeated by the controller and read back again by the pilot. Sometimes transmissions get blocked because two people try to talk at the same time over the radio. Controllers say it frequently can take two or three tries to get simple instructions to a flight crew, especially if English, the universal language of air-traffic control, isn't the pilot's primary language. "If you look at a lot of accidents and incidents, you see multiple events. This is an opportunity to eliminate one of them. You're eliminating a source of potential error," said Sid Koslow, chief technology officer for Nav Canada, the privatized air-traffic control services provider for Canada. This new system is expected to boost capacity and reduce delays, people in the industry say. Planes often must wait to take off so air-traffic controllers don't get overloaded with too many planes at once. Eurocontrol, the agency that coordinates and plans air-traffic control throughout Europe, says that once half of all airline flights in Europe are equipped to communicate by text message, controllers will be able to handle 8% more flights because their workload will be reduced by 16%. When 75% of airplanes have the equipment, 11% more planes will be able to fly simultaneously as a result of a 22% controller workload reduction. Direct data communications between planes and pilots is a crucial part of air-travel modernization, and it's an upgrade the U.S. has been trying to implement for more than a decade without success. U.S., European and Pacific controllers do text message with pilots out over oceans beyond regular radio range. But over land, where skies and radio frequencies are more congested and the need for better communications is strong, the switch has been painfully slow. Controller-pilot data links were well on their way in the U.S. in 2002. American Airlines equipped several airplanes that conducted airborne tests with the Federal Aviation Administration's Miami air-traffic control center. But the program was canceled. A 2004 FAA report cited cost growth and schedule delays. Earlier this year, the FAA launched a limited test in Memphis, Tenn., to text instructions to planes waiting to take off, with plans to expand it later this year to Newark, N.J., and Atlanta. The agency says it will begin deploying Data Comm, as the program has been renamed, in all control towers in 2016 and in all high-altitude control centers in 2019. Canada offers a taste of the future for U.S. pilots close to home. Pilots there text with controllers both over oceans and over domestic skies. U.S. airlines that frequently use Canadian airspace for trips to and from Europe and Asia are making use of the texting technology. Cross-country domestic flights that entail flying over Canada also benefit. "We love the technology. It's accurate and quick-the same reasons why people like texting on their phones so much," said Capt. Joseph Burns, managing director for flight standards and technology at United Airlines, which has texting capabilities on most of its wide-body fleet. "It does seem to make the world a bit smaller." Europe also has controller-pilot text messaging in use at two air-traffic control centers, and should have its system fully implemented by 2015. Aircraft delivered from Boeing BA +0.95%and Airbus over the past decade or so come with the right gear installed. Canadian authorities say 50% of the planes flying in the eastern part of the country can make use of Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications. On a recent day in the Montreal control center, Delta Air Lines DAL +3.89%Flight 41 sent a request by CPDLC. A blue message box popped up on controller Caroline Heroux's large radar screen. "Request climb to FL360," meaning the pilot wanted to take the flight from London to Minneapolis up a bit to 36,000 feet above sea level. Ms. Heroux, 51 years old and a veteran controller, confirmed she could clear that flight level. With a couple of quick mouse clicks, she transmitted a message back: "Climb and maintain FL360." The pilot responded by text with "Wilco," short for "will comply." "It's rather easy," Ms. Heroux said. "It's a great benefit for the traveler and a great benefit for the controller. This is the biggest step forward, because human error is taken away." Controllers have pop-up windows with various choices of standard messages for altitude changes, frequency changes and some re-routings. Colored squares on the data tags for airplanes on the controller's radar screen change as pilots respond so that controllers get an extra visual cue in case a pilot doesn't see a message. Secure computers verify identity of the aircraft and make sure the links stay active. "It's not rocket science, but it has to be done right," Mr. Koslow said. Like many projects in air-travel modernization, there's a chicken-and-egg question: Should airlines spend money on equipment before air-traffic control agencies prove they can work with it, or should air-traffic control service providers spend first and then wait for airlines to catch up? In many projects, one side or the other has backed out or balked. Nav Canada decided to push ahead with the technology years ago in part because it handles so many airplanes coming off the oceans from Asia and Europe that it knew would be equipped with data-link capabilities. The company thought if airlines saw the benefits in action, they would get planes equipped faster. "To us, it's better to just do it rather than planning 10 years ahead and telling everybody what they need to do," Mr. Koslow said. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324767004578485061565368992.html Back to Top iPhone Sends Plane Far Off Course: Flight Attendants Are Right! An Apple iPhone may have been responsible for interfering with a regional airliner's navigation equipment while a flight was in ascent in 2011, sending the craft miles off- course. Fortunately for the flight, which landed safely, an attendant managed to convince the man who turned his phone on to turn it back off. An unidentified co-pilot told NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System that when the phone was turned off, the interference went away. The incident was one of 27 taking place over a two-year period between 2010 and 2012, according to a report by Bloomberg published on Wednesday. While the number of incidents are small, given the amount of flights taking place each day, they may explain why airlines are so hesitant to let passengers, like Alec Baldwin and his infamous kindle, to turn on electronic devices below 10,000 feet. Electronic devices, particularly cell phones, can interfere with an aircraft's sensitive navigation equipment and overwhelm radio and GPS signals. To prevent any incidents from taking place, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires all electronics to be turned off during a flight's most vulnerable stages. But the FAA has recently been considering relaxing the rules surrounding electronics on flights, including everything from iPhones and MP3 players to iPads and Amazon Kindles. That has some airlines, but not all, concerned after logging interference issues over the decades. Freeing up the skies for personal electronics use is a popular idea for many customers, including politicians. U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) has been outspoken about loosening the rules around non-cellular electronics in flight, saying, through a spokesperson, that requiring devices to be placed on airplane mode ought to be sufficient enough for airlines. While most devices today include airplane modes - modes which turn off all radio transmissions in a device - the term can carry different connotations among different devices. Some may cry out "hypocrisy!" before pointing towards the use of iPads by airline pilots on Delta. But the iPads used by these pilots don't connect to cellular networks, as some models do. Airlines opposed to letting customers use iPads during flight say customer devices haven't been tested and may malfunction, causing flight interference. In January of this year, the FAA appointed an advisory committee to, with representatives from both the airline and technology industries, to recommend whether or not the FAA should broaden the use of electronic devices in planes. The recommendations are expected in to be published in July. http://www.itechpost.com/articles/9250/20130515/iphone-sends-plane-far-course-flight- attendants-right.htm Back to Top Gulf Air Renews its Commitment to Safety with the Successful Completion of IOSA Audit and Endorses the Upcoming Enhanced-IOSA Audit Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain 15th May 2013 Gulf Air , the Kingdom of Bahrain's national carrier, in its ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest level of international aviation safety standards today announced the successful completion of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). The intensive audit is an internationally recognized and acknowledged evaluation system designed to assess the operational safety of an airline. Gulf Air also stated its support for the Enhanced IOSA, an evolved version of the current IOSA Audit that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is scheduled to rollout by September 2015. Gulf Air 's first IOSA audit was carried out in 2005 and to date it has successfully completed five audits, in-line with IATA's two-year audit cycle, to renew its place on the IOSA registry. During the latest inspection Gulf Air satisfied more than 900 IOSA standards in eight operational areas, including the organization and management system, flight operations, operational control and flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, cabin operations, ground handling operations, cargo operations and security management. Gulf Air 's Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam commented, "We are extremely proud to have satisfied all of IATA's rigorous safety requirements to maintain IOSA registration. The IOSA standards exceed the already stringent regulatory requirements that we have to meet. Gulf Air prides itself on operating to the highest global safety standards and levels of international aviation safety practices; giving our customers the reassurance our main priority has consistently been safety. We are constantly looking to raise the bar in terms of our safety standards and renewal of the IOSA registration is just one of many elements that demonstrate the airline's on-going commitment to ensuring its operations are in-line with strict international safety requirements and that we remain at the forefront of safety developments." Five IOSA auditors spent five days reviewing Gulf Air 's operational and maintenance practices, ensuring that the airline continues to meet all of the requirements of this comprehensive global standard. Gulf Air Senior Manager Operations Quality Assurance Captain Donald D. Broadfoot, commented, " Gulf Air 's Quality Assurance Departments continuously review and appraise internal operational processes to ensure they conform to all regulatory requirements in addition to industry best practices. One of the ways this is achieved is through the biennial IOSA audit. Between these audits, rigorous quality control processes and self-auditing ensures conformity with the IOSA Standards and Recommended Practices. The next development of the IOSA program, currently being introduced by IATA, involves such on-going monitoring in what is known as Enhanced-IOSA. We fully endorse this new initiative and believe that it will further improve the high safety record in the aviation industry." About Gulf Air Founded in 1950, Gulf Air is the proud national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. As a pioneering airline in the Middle East region with over sixty years of experience and expertise in flying people across continents, Gulf Air is today one of the most powerful brands and a name to reckon with in the global aviation industry. One of the prime objectives of Gulf Air is to connect Bahrain to the Middle East countries and the rest of the world. As such the airline currently operates the largest network in the Middle East with non-stop flights while providing seamless onward connections to other international destinations. The airline's current network stretches from Europe to Asia, connecting 32 cities in 21 countries, with a fleet of 26 aircraft. In tune with the Kingdom's economic blue print, 'Vision 2030', Gulf Air 's strategy is to build an efficient, commercially sustainable and dynamic airline that effectively serves the people and the economy of Bahrain and represents the Kingdom on the world stage. Reflecting the needs and aspirations of its customers, the strategy focuses on three core areas: a targeted, more focused international network; a superior, more consistent product; and a modern, more efficient fleet that will optimize value. Gulf Air 's goal reflects a commitment to the latest aviation technology complemented by the hallmark Arabian hospitality for which the airline is well known. http://www.zawya.com/ Back to Top GE, Boeing Hunt for Defective Engine Parts . By ANDY PASZTOR and JON OSTROWER An engine-manufacturing defect may affect more than 70 of Boeing Co.'s BA +0.94%777 extended-range jets equipped with General Electric Co. GE +1.00%engines, the companies disclosed Wednesday. The defect could lead to an engine failure and pose a potential safety issue if the planes are forced to fly long distances over water on a single engine. In response to questions, the engine-maker said it issued a pair of service bulletins on Tuesday urging airlines to replace at least one of two suspect gearboxes on 26 of the planes currently in service. Another 34 planes have the suspect part attached to one engine. The bulletins, which aren't mandatory but usually are followed by airlines, call for the work to be done in five days. American Airlines is the only U.S. carrier which operates models affected by the alert. A spokeswoman for American Airlines parent AMR Corp., AAMRQ +10.54%which operates six new 777-300ER aircraft, says it expects to perform the inspection and modification on four of its 777 jets in New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and in Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The airline didn't expect any impact to its customers and anticipated the work would be completed by Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration, which typically issues mandatory safety directives in such cases, didn't have an immediate comment. GE said it acted following a pair of in-flight incidents, including one last week, in which one of the two engines on each plane had to be shut down due to gears separating inside the suspect devices. The gearboxes are used to transfer energy from the engine's core to provide power to key aircraft systems. The suspect parts are installed on Boeing 777-300ER, 777-200LR and 777 freighter versions. Boeing has delivered 531 of the longer-range 777s as of April 20, and they are the backbone of the company's commercial unit, which at current production rates account for some 100 aircraft deliveries a year. GE is the exclusive engine provider for these models. In addition to planes already in service, Boeing said the suspect parts also are installed on 14 aircraft in production or waiting to be delivered from the plane maker's factory in Everett, Wash. A Boeing spokeswoman said, "we don't expect any substantial delays to deliveries." In a statement, GE said 118 gearboxes manufactured between September 2012 and March 2013 may be affected. The immediate focus of safety efforts is to ensure that no plane has more than one of the suspect parts. The gearboxes were manufactured by Italian supplier Avio SpA, which GE announced it was acquiring in December. The deal, valued at more than $4 billion, hasn't yet been completed. GE and Boeing also are working to finish enhanced inspection procedures for the longer term. GE said it is "continuing to investigate the root cause" of the problems, and preliminary indications are that they may stem from defective material. The company added it is working closely with Boeing and the FAA "on this aggressive fleet action." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323398204578485461610558262.html Curt Lewis